Prospect Info: CBJ Prospect Thread V

[niflheim]

thebus 2288 db2011

If we are building hard working, physical, aggressively forechecking team what kind of symbiosis we can expect between CBJ and Alex Wennberg ( nowadays "puck passer" and probably pure playmaker in the future)? Or our "retooling" will be endless?

 

[CBJWerenski8]

I don't get the hating on the Wennberg detractors. Yes, he's definitely been showing more the second time around, and he's a good prospect. But he really doesn't seem to fit what we are evidently trying to do here. He's not in the Blue Jackets mold, and that's obvious. We're not a team of technicians. If be can be packaged for an upgrade from a team that likes good back checking, finesse style players, you do it.

When we're giving long term term contracts to Duby and Foligno and appreciating the play of Calvert and Letestu, Wennberg becomes a totally different conversation. I've got nothing against the kid, he's showing up and progressing, but he's not in the same zip code of the guys we are building this team around

I feel like he was a home run swing by JK and he'll be a long double at best.

Would hate to see your assessment on Ryan Johansen during his first season too.

My god people.

 

[WannabeFinn]

I don't get the criticism of Wennberg's style of play. Is Johansen a Foligno/Dubinsky? Is Atkinson? Is Anisimov? No.. you can't build a championship team with nothing but hard hitting, gritty power forwards and two way forwards.

Even if we were trying to move away from Wennberg's style of play, that doesn't detract from Jarmo's drafting at all. Jarmo has made it known that he drafts according to BPA, not by need, and in that endeavor he's seemingly made that home run swing a success.

 

[EspenK]

I don't get the hating on the Wennberg detractors. Yes, he's definitely been showing more the second time around, and he's a good prospect. But he really doesn't seem to fit what we are evidently trying to do here. He's not in the Blue Jackets mold, and that's obvious. We're not a team of technicians. If be can be packaged for an upgrade from a team that likes good back checking, finesse style players, you do it.

When we're giving long term term contracts to Duby and Foligno and appreciating the play of Calvert and Letestu, Wennberg becomes a totally different conversation. I've got nothing against the kid, he's showing up and progressing, but he's not in the same zip code of the guys we are building this team around

I feel like he was a home run swing by JK and he'll be a long double at best.

I have had similar thoughts about Bjorkstrand and Milano. Not exactly Jacket prototypes from what I have read about them.

Sooner or later though some skill guys are going to be necessary. The Kings had Carter and Gabby during last years Cup run. Obviously the team like Wennberg and if he ever adds some offense, which I believe (hope?) he will everyone here will forget that he is not s Hartnell clone.

 

[pete goegan]

...Sooner or later though some skill guys are going to be necessary....

Sooner, please. Now, perhaps?

 

[EspenK]

Sooner, please. Now, perhaps?

Now would be good, but I'd settle for not screwing up a good drafting spot and add talent at the draft and during the off-season.

Disclaimer: Not advocating tanking, more like when you're not going to wind up with chicken salad don't go out and buy a chicken.

 

[Jackets16]

I don't get the hating on the Wennberg detractors. Yes, he's definitely been showing more the second time around, and he's a good prospect. But he really doesn't seem to fit what we are evidently trying to do here. He's not in the Blue Jackets mold, and that's obvious. We're not a team of technicians. If be can be packaged for an upgrade from a team that likes good back checking, finesse style players, you do it.

When we're giving long term term contracts to Duby and Foligno and appreciating the play of Calvert and Letestu, Wennberg becomes a totally different conversation. I've got nothing against the kid, he's showing up and progressing, but he's not in the same zip code of the guys we are building this team around

I feel like he was a home run swing by JK and he'll be a long double at best.

So, does Letestu fit our system? Milano? Bjorkstrand? Reilly? Murray? I guess we should trade all of them too. Good teams don't have a team full of the same type of player.

 

[Jackets16]

thebus 2288 db2011

If we are building hard working, physical, aggressively forechecking team what kind of symbiosis we can expect between CBJ and Alex Wennberg ( nowadays "puck passer" and probably pure playmaker in the future)? Or our "retooling" will be endless?

They want a hardworking team that almost never has the puck in their offensive zone, gets outshot by a lot each game, and hopes the goaltender can win them the game.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Hey guys,

How much would Bjorkstrand be worth to you guys in a trade?
I know he hasn't played any NHL games, so im not talking NHL grade players, but prospect for prospect kinda trade.

 

[Jackets16]

I have had similar thoughts about Bjorkstrand and Milano. Not exactly Jacket prototypes from what I have read about them.

Sooner or later though some skill guys are going to be necessary. The Kings had Carter and Gabby during last years Cup run. Obviously the team like Wennberg and if he ever adds some offense, which I believe (hope?) he will everyone here will forget that he is not s Hartnell clone.

Good teams have both. They don't have 4 lines that are exactly the same. Or even had 3 players on each line that are exactly the same. Our best line is our best line not only because it has our best players, but because they don't all play exactly the same. They complement each others games well.

 

[Jackets16]

hey guys,

how much would bjorkstrand be worth to you guys in a trade?
I know he hasn't played any nhl games, so im not talking nhl grade players, but prospect for prospect kinda trade.

A lot

 

[QuietContrarian]

A lot

Figured

 

[major major]

http://www.tsn.ca/tsn-hockey-s-top-30-nhl-affiliated-prospects-1.183391

Craig Button's top 30 prospects not in the NHL. We have Bjorkstrand at 20 and Reilly at 29

Rychel isn't charting on Button's list. And I don't think he's on Pronman's either (I don't have access to the full list, but just a guess).

 

[TheOllieC]

That list is pretty ****** anyway.

 

[db2011]

Would hate to see your assessment on Ryan Johansen during his first season too.

My god people.

If you read a little more carefully, you'll see that my assessment of Wennberg is his place on this roster, not in the league. Every move JK has made, with the exception of acquiring Gaborik, has been in a direction that Wennberg doesn't seem to fit.

That said, he's doing real well lately, tonight included. Possible that an uptick in production changes perceptions

 

[Sore Loser]

I have had similar thoughts about Bjorkstrand and Milano. Not exactly Jacket prototypes from what I have read about them.

Sooner or later though some skill guys are going to be necessary. The Kings had Carter and Gabby during last years Cup run. Obviously the team like Wennberg and if he ever adds some offense, which I believe (hope?) he will everyone here will forget that he is not s Hartnell clone.

This is pretty much all that needs to be said in regards to this argument. The Philadelphia Flyers always seem intent on building tough/gritty teams, and even they carry guys like Giroux and Voracek. I'm not saying Wennberg gets to that level, but if the Flyers don't have them, they're nothing but an over-penalized, underskilled group of forwards.

You need the heart and soul guys, sure. Nobody is doubting that. But it's the talented guys, the scoring guys, that separate a Phoenix from a Los Angeles.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Figured we would put this in here.

Mike Reilly was interviewed on FSNO by Rimer, and when asked about turning pro next year with the Blue Jackets Reilly was very awkward and said

Rimer asked Reilly if he's excited to join the Jackets in the future.

"Yeah there's a lot of things that go on and just focus on the season and see where that goes and focus on academics and little things like that, and hopefully everything works out."

Kind of a lackluster answer.

Dispatch said management caught up with Reilly today at morning skate before he went to class. Nothing else said.

Discuss

 

[pete goegan]

If he has no interest in joining the Jackets, I wonder why he would agree to an interview on their broadcast? He had to know that question would come up, what purpose is served by putting himself in that position?

 

[EspenK]

If he has no interest in joining the Jackets, I wonder why he would agree to an interview on their broadcast? He had to know that question would come up, what purpose is served by putting himself in that position?

Good point pete.

I was also pleased to hear he met with team mgt during the morning skate.

 

[ca5150]

Figured we would put this in here.

Mike Reilly was interviewed on FSNO by Rimer, and when asked about turning pro next year with the Blue Jackets Reilly was very awkward and said



Dispatch said management caught up with Reilly today at morning skate before he went to class. Nothing else said.

Discuss

His sister lives here leads me to believe this would be where he wants to be, he's just a kid not used to being on tv is how I took it, nobody interviews college players particularly.

 

[ca5150]

Would hate to see your assessment on Ryan Johansen during his first season too.

My god people.

It's interesting how you give Wennberg such a free pass when he has 1 goal in 3 times as many minutes, playing with scoring lines, occasionally on the PP, as Boll does who you absolutely crucify for having 1 less goal than Wennberg, despite that not being his job...

I'm not saying Boll is any comparison whatsoever to Wennberg, it's just interesting who we choose to jump all over, but I think Wennberg needs to be in Springfield crafting his scoring touch, not just being a serviceable center. He's played better of late and shows flashes of more to come, but this isn't the place for him to learn on the job, he's had plenty of time here and he's stuggling to put the puck in the net. He should be playing 20 minutes a night in Springfield and dominating that league now.

 

[Jaxs]

There are reasons to believe Reilly will sign, and that he won't.

Plusses- His sister is going to Ohio State. He attended the CBJ OT winner against Penguins last years playoffs. He met with CBJ staff and did the in game interview with Rimer, 1/19/15.

Minuses- His answer if he is excited to become a CBJ. Body language. His body language says a lot. Myself and some of us here may be reading too much into this, but his answer to the excited to be here question has me doubting that he wants to be a Jacket.

 

[ca5150]

There are reasons to believe Reilly will sign, and that he won't.

Plusses- His sister is going to Ohio State. He attended the CBJ OT winner against Penguins last years playoffs. He met with CBJ staff and did the in game interview with Rimer, 1/19/15.

Minuses- His answer if he is excited to become a CBJ. Body language. His body language says a lot. Myself and some of us here may be reading too much into this, but his answer to the excited to be here question has me doubting that he wants to be a Jacket.

Can we blame him though? I mean, if I was 18 again and was asked if i was excited about going to a team that's only had 2 playoff appearances in 14 years and only 2 playoff wins, plays to a half house most nights, probably less people than he plays for on the average Minnesota college game, and is second banana to Ohio State? I don't think I would be jumping up and down per se, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't show up and give it my best. I'm not reading into it too much...

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

It's interesting how you give Wennberg such a free pass when he has 1 goal in 3 times as many minutes, playing with scoring lines, occasionally on the PP, as Boll does who you absolutely crucify for having 1 less goal than Wennberg, despite that not being his job...

I'm not saying Boll is any comparison whatsoever to Wennberg, it's just interesting who we choose to jump all over, but I think Wennberg needs to be in Springfield crafting his scoring touch, not just being a serviceable center. He's played better of late and shows flashes of more to come, but this isn't the place for him to learn on the job, he's had plenty of time here and he's stuggling to put the puck in the net. He should be playing 20 minutes a night in Springfield and dominating that league now.

It's all about having nice and new things.

 

[pete goegan]

Can we blame him though? I mean, if I was 18 again and was asked if i was excited about going to a team that's only had 2 playoff appearances in 14 years and only 2 playoff wins, plays to a half house most nights, probably less people than he plays for on the average Minnesota college game, and is second banana to Ohio State? I don't think I would be jumping up and down per se, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't show up and give it my best. I'm not reading into it too much...

your question interested me, so:

3 Minnesota 10 99,706 9,971 10,000 99.7

The "3" represents third in the country for Div. I. Clearly, playing in front of an almost full house must be great (99.7% of capacity), but the average attendance (9,971) is less than the reported current average for the Jackets (15,600+, according to this:

http://www.jacketscannon.com/2015/1/20/7853751/the-columbus-hockey-scene).

I have no point, just satisfying my own curiosity.